The Yongshun County Government suddenly posted a notice to conduct an inventory and measurement of farmland in the county.
The landowner came forward on behalf of the county magistrate and announced with a decent smile: "The county magistrate is considerate of the people. Last year, the floods passed through the country, resulting in soil erosion and many fields were washed away. If taxes are still based on the previous acres, it will really benefit the people."
It’s unfair. Now that we are inspecting the land and measuring the acres again, we are worried that our fellow villagers will suffer a loss in taxes.”
As soon as these words came out, the whole Yongshun County was boiling.
Some people cried with joy and shouted to the sky. There were also wealthy people who were worried and smiled helplessly.
But in this case, it is inevitable that someone will mention the former county magistrate, and strange eyes will be cast on Huating Academy again.
Li Yang was so angry that he cursed and even wrote a poem on the spot, condemning the world for not distinguishing between right and wrong.
Chen Ping heard that his teacher was angry early in the morning, so he was naturally worried and hurried over.
But He Qingxuan and Ye Chongwen were faster than him.
"Have you heard about it too?" Seeing Chen Ping come in, Li Yang sighed tiredly, "There's no need to persuade me. I cherish my life, so I won't be so angry to death."
Seeing how angry he was, Chen Ping immediately spoke. "Teacher, don't get me wrong. The students are not here to admonish the teacher, but are worried. I'm afraid County Magistrate Huang has an ulterior motive for this."
Li Feng said with a straight face, "If Huang Laosan had such good intentions, why did he enrich himself in the first place?"
He Qingxuan, who was born as a merchant, was more sensitive to this matter. He shook his head and said: "It is true that the land is re-measured, but if it is really to reduce taxes, it is not necessarily true."
"Do you have news?" Ye Chongwen was surprised.
The He family has a lot of land, so naturally they are better informed.
He Qingxuan said with a sarcastic expression, "How to calculate the standard of measurement? How to calculate the division of land? These are all determined by the government. Although we have the land deed in our hands, whether the tax on acres and the scope of cultivated land will be reduced or increased does not depend on the government's rules.
?"
"That Huang Laosan is just asking us to pay money in disguise!"
At this point in the topic, everyone looked surprised.
Chen Ping's expression turned slightly ugly when he thought of his own fields.
A dog that bites doesn't bark. Huang Laosan is good at using some cunning methods, so there's no guarantee that he won't target old enemies like them.
"Do they still want to tamper with the measurements?"
Ye Chongwen beat his knees angrily, "This is tax manipulation, how dare they!"
"Aren't you afraid that the higher-ups will investigate and protect your head?"
Li Yang and Li Feng looked at each other and sighed secretly: They are young people after all.
Chen Ping remained silent until he spoke now: "The teacher once said when he was still alive that the tax revenue of the Dayu Dynasty was not optimistic. If the tax revenue increases, the higher authorities may not be able to pursue it."
Ye Chongwen opened his eyes wide, "Did my grandfather say that?"
Chen Ping shook his head, "The teacher didn't say it clearly, but I think the government of a dynasty depends on officials, and the government of hundreds of officials depends on performance. If there are political achievements to offer, as long as nothing big happens, the superiors probably won't ask too much, right?"
Ye Chongwen opened his mouth, but finally sighed, having nothing to say.
Li Yang looked at the window and saw a few plainly dressed students walking around in the distance, and immediately put down the teacup.
"Okay, this is a matter for the court. You just need to be responsible and study hard." He changed the subject, lowered his expression, and hummed: "If he dares to cause trouble to us, I am not afraid of filing a complaint with him.
State capital!"
"However," Li Yang paused, raised his eyebrows and continued, "Chen Ping is right. Now the imperial court attaches great importance to the issue of taxation, and the policy to ensure the future is based on taxation."
As soon as he finished speaking, the three children suddenly felt something strange.
Is it possible...
"In that case, today I will test you on taxation."
Sure enough, it’s here!
Li Yang was not acting on a whim. In fact, the imperial court attaches extraordinary importance to taxation.
The possibility of this question being asked in the imperial examination in the future is obviously not small.
Li Yang asked: "Taxers are renters. Is it the king's land in the world? In ancient and modern times, it was preferable to collect land according to acres. It is the root of enriching the country and reassuring the people, and the foundation of disaster relief and military relief. Now I highly praise the government for light taxation, cherishing acres of land, and talking about heads.
The inventory is still insufficient. If you look at it from a different perspective, should we increase taxes to enrich the country and strengthen its military, or should we reduce taxes to strengthen the people and support agriculture?"
After he finished speaking, he picked up a book from the side and gave the three of them time to think.
Ye Chongwen is good at poetry and prose. He used to be fond of romance and paid little attention to taxes.
He Qingxuan was thoughtful, but Chen Pingping was the only one who showed hesitation.
Smoke from the furnace curled up outside the screen, and time passed by.
Li Yang raised his eyes and glanced at the three of them, "Do you have an idea? You won't be given so much time in the examination room."
Li Feng also smiled and said, "Fortunately, it's not an examination room now. You just need to talk about your thoughts."
The three children looked at each other and nodded.
Ye Chongwen straightened his body and spoke first: "Qingxuan has a family background, and Chen Ping has an ingenious plan. I think they both have their own opinions. Then let me introduce them."
Everyone looked over with a slight smile.
This kid knows how to set a stage for himself first.
Li Feng shook his head helplessly, "After all, we are all our own people here, who can't be polite to you? If you don't say it well, you will naturally be punished."
Ye Chongwen clicked his tongue, "Ah? What punishment?"
"Copy the state tax five times," Li Yang said with a chuckle, intending to lighten the atmosphere, "to serve as a warning to others."
A year has passed, and Ye Chongwen has regained some of his energy. Although he is not as lively as before, he will occasionally chime in when joking with others.
Ye Chongwen touched his head, thought about it for a moment and said seriously, "Students have a simple view and think that whether it is to enrich the country and strengthen the military, or to strengthen the people and support the farmers, it is all for the purpose of enriching the national treasury and benefiting the people. Since it is taken from the people and used for the people, only the state can
When the treasury is full, when there is what the people need, the court can have targeted targets. Just like the disaster of floods, if the treasury is full, it can bring peace and prosperity to the surplus wealth, and relieve the poverty and desolation, wouldn't everyone be happy?"
Li Yang did not rush to comment. Li Feng looked calm and encouraged in his eyes, "Is there anything else?"
These words sound nice, but there is no real content if you look closely.
Ye Chongwen replied, "No, no."
"Where are the others?" Li Feng asked again, especially looking at Chen Ping.
But before Chen Ping could speak, He Qingxuan could not help but retort: "Although what Chongwen said is reasonable, it is like tearing down the east wall to repair the west wall. If the imperial treasury can really take all the money from the Chinese treasury and use it for the people, then what?
Are you corrupt officials? If you want to make the best use of money, then everyone from the emperor to the subjects must be clean, but it is difficult for everyone to turn their eyes to money."
When the He family is doing business, it still needs to communicate with everyone.
There have always been more problems than taxes. Ye Chongwen's ideas are too idealistic and simple, and are really inconsistent with reality.
Ye Chongwen also reacted at this time, "That's right."
Li Yang asked: "What do you mean, do you disagree with the tax increase?"
He Qingxuan replied, "What the student means is that scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, although scholars come first, agriculture should be the basis. At the beginning, Teacher Ye also said that food is bigger than the sky, and it is bigger than the articles of saints! Even if a scholar becomes an official through the imperial examination, it is not
It is also for the people of the world to have enough to eat.
Do you want to wear warm clothes? Therefore, increasing taxes is tantamount to increasing the burden for the people. Farmers work hard for a year. If the weather changes, floods and droughts, the land does not produce seedlings, the water does not produce fish, and they cannot stand on their own, what will happen?
Can you pay taxes?"
Ye Chongwen nodded repeatedly after hearing this, "Just like Huang Laosan measuring the land, if he interferes with it, not only will the farmers' acres of land be reduced, but the tax revenue will also increase accordingly."
Li Yang nodded slightly and praised: "What Chongwen said is reasonable, and what you said is reasonable. If you two polish the words in the examination room and make them a little more euphemistic, it will be enough. Chen Ping,
What’s your answer?”
Now, only Chen Ping remains silent.
The first two people talked happily to both the public and the public, and everyone was curious about where he would start.
Chen Ping nodded and replied: "I think what they said is very good, but the students are so ignorant that they think they can find another way."
"Oh? Tell me about it?" Li Yang looked forward to it.
"Students believe that, above scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, the income of farmers depends entirely on God's will, and the people who truly control the flow of wealth in the entire dynasty are businessmen. For example, people like Huang Liuye, they open restaurants, mines, etc. The returns are unimaginable, and they can also use
Wealth begets wealth. Even if taxes are to be raised, commercial taxes should be the main ones, and farmers should be able to receive appropriate exemptions and reductions."
He Qingxuan looked sideways and thought for a moment, "It's not unreasonable."
However, when Li Yang asked the question, he originally started from measuring the land, and also focused on the land tax.
Chen Ping found a new approach, which broadened the topic.
Li Feng had never thought about this problem, but he also knew how powerful businessmen were, so he couldn't help but said: "Your idea is quite new, but it is not easy to implement it."
"That's right." Li Yang also spoke, but his tone was a little heavy. "As you said, businessmen travel all over the world, but they also make friends all over the world. They manage everything, and one person and one business are not enough.
People and businesses can shake the foundation of a government! Chen Ping, the business way is completely different from the agricultural way. Do you know how many people your words will offend? How many people's interests will be shaken?"
Business and officialdom have never been completely separated. Offending businessmen is a small matter, but offending both business and officialdom is the end.
Chen Ping anticipated Li Yang's reaction, so he asked, "What should we do based on what the teacher said?"
"Businessmen should not be too clear about increasing taxes," Li Yang sat upright slightly and said after thinking, "However, if the conditions for increasing commercial tax payment can be improved, that is not a problem."
Isn’t this just raising the tax level?
It is indeed suitable for ancient and modern times.
"Yes, teacher," Chen Ping bowed his hands, "Student understands, he will be careful in his words and deeds in the future."
In mid-June, everyone’s speculation became reality.
At the beginning of the land measurement, people did benefit, and they all praised the new county magistrate for loving the people like a son.
However, after government officials visited every village and town, this "grand occasion" changed slightly.
First, someone discovered that their own land had occupied someone else's land without any reason, and was forced to pay a ransom.
Another person discovered that his farmland was inexplicably a few feet shorter.
The official who came to measure the land just sneered, "I measured it myself. How can this be wrong?"
"You must want to evade taxes, so you deliberately moved the field ridge inward."
"You have three days to pay all the tax arrears, otherwise you will be severely punished!"
Someone reported it to the government office, but was beaten thirty times, labeled a "false accusation," and was carried home in despair.
At this point, the people finally reacted belatedly, but they dared not speak out in anger.
......
(Explanation. Due to the discontinuation of recommendations for new books, the editor notified 200,000 words to be put on the shelves. After the official release, more updates will be made every day, so I kindly ask you to come and support me on Friday. Thank you very much!)